Hakimi’s nightmare and the Libyan star’s altercation… A ‘second-tier’ World Cup referee has been appointed for Liverpool vs. PSG

UEFA has appointed Italian referee Maurizio Mariani, 44, to oversee Tuesday’s Champions League clash between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

Mariani has strong Champions League credentials, having officiated 17 matches in the competition, including six this term.

He has already officiated matches for both clubs this term, including Liverpool’s 3-2 group-stage win over Atlético Madrid.

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He also oversaw PSG’s 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich, during which Luis Díaz was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Achraf Hakimi’s ankle, an injury that briefly threatened the Moroccan’s participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Last season he officiated Paris’s 3-1 quarter-final first-leg win over Aston Villa.

He also drew attention during the Monaco–Benfica play-off, dismissing Libyan midfielder Moatassem Al-Masrati (now at Hellas Verona) for nothing more than vociferous protest.

Mariani endured a challenging season. Early on, the Italian Football Federation temporarily demoted him to Serie B after a controversial decision on 25 October during Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter Milan. He had awarded Napoli a penalty for a minor foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Giovanni Di Lorenzo, infuriating the Nerazzurri and drawing fierce criticism led by Italian referees’ chief Gianluca Rocchi.

He was sidelined for the following weekend’s fixtures and came under fire from the Italian media.

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Despite these setbacks, Marià was recently selected to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for 11 June to 19 July.

He will be assisted by compatriots Daniele Bendoni and Alberto Tegni as assistant referees, with Matteo Marchetti as fourth official. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team will be led by Marco De Bello, supported by Alessandro De Paolo.